Mackerel - Strengthens Immunity

Author: Alexander Bruni Time for reading: ~2 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

The immune system is boosted by selenium in fish, but hypertensives and smokers are most favored.

Mackerel is a sea fish with a strong and even sweeter taste. Typical of the oceans, it is also found in the Black Sea, where it enters the Marmara Sea to feed during the warmer months and returns to the Mediterranean in late autumn.

The content of omega-3 fatty acids in this fish makes it a suitable choice for a healthy dinner 1-2 times a week. Omega-3 acids help the body lower blood pressure , triglycerides and the density of arterial plaques . Although it contains mostly unsaturated fatty acids, fish also has 9-10% saturated.

A boned fish also contains about 21 g of protein - over 46% of the Indicative Daily Intake (RDA) for women and 38% of the RDA for men. A study published in 2007 in the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition revealed that mackerel is the fish richest in protein used by the body . Other marine fish also contain higher amounts of protein, but most of them cannot be processed by the human digestive system.

Mackerel is also rich in vitamins , with B 12 being their most abundant representative. It is important for the normal function of the nervous system and helps build DNA. One boned mackerel contains an average of 16.7 mcg of vitamin B 12 , which is over 680% of the ODP of 2.4 mcg or more than 7 times the required daily amount. According to the World Health Organization, this overdose can not harm human health because it does not accumulate in the body.

Vitamins B 3 , B 6 , A and C are also contained in smaller quantities .

The minerals found in low concentrations in mackerel are magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, sodium, calcium and manganese. However, selenium is in the most significant amounts: about 45 mcg per fish or over 80% of the ODP. Selenium strengthens the immune system and protects against arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

This mineral stimulates the function of all types of white blood cells and strengthens the lymphocyte ability to destroy foreign invaders - bacteria and viruses.

Selenium also works with vitamins E, A and C as an antioxidant .

Another important feature of selenium is its function to bind to toxins such as cadmium , mercury and lead and remove them from the body. Through such tissue detoxification, the mineral reduces the likelihood of developing cancers caused by toxic heavy metals.

Smokers are especially benefited from the weekly intake of mackerel, because their harmful habit greatly lowers the levels of selenium in the body, which weakens their immunity and makes the lungs much more susceptible to inflammation.

Mackerel - Strengthens Immunity

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